Statement of the Central Committee of the KKE on the stance of the KKE in the EU parliament

1. The Central Committee of the KKE assessed the course of the group European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) over the recent period and the objective situation that arises from the composition of the EU Parliament after the EU parliamentary elections and decided that the MEPs of the KKE would not join any group in the EU parliament. The Central Committee reiterates the main commitment of the KKE towards the Greek people: to reveal the anti-people plans which are concocted in the EU and above all to contribute to the strengthening of the people’s struggle against the imperialist EU, for the socialization of the monopolies, the disengagement from the EU, so that the peoples conquer their own power. The participation of the MEPs of the KKE in groups whose main line is to beautify and support the EU cannot serve this commitment.

2. The KKE until recently participated in the group European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL). The participation of the party in this group since 1994, under different conditions compared to today, was dictated by the need to facilitate the intervention of the MEPs of the KKE in the European Parliament and utilize the possibilities that existed for the coordination with other CPs. GUE/NGL was formed from the beginning on a confederal basis, without a common ideological political platform or programmatic convergence, with each party maintaining its ideological independence and with consultations regarding technical issues related to the interventions in the EU Parliament. Over these two decades and especially after the foundation of the European Left Party (ELP) there has been a constant confrontation on the part of the KKE against the forces that participate in the ELP. These forces have been seeking to impose their positions as positions of the group while they have been repeatedly trying to violate the confederal character of the group. The parties of the ELP have played the leading role in this effort, above all the German Die Linke and SYRIZA

3. This situation has significantly worsened in the recent period. Specifically:

The confederal character of GUE/NGL has in reality been altered, as the ELP parties operate with a single line, grouped together, and speak in the committees and sessions on the basis of a common platform, promoting the political positions of the ELP as positions of GUE/NGL. The situation is deteriorating as the EU, in the framework of the deepening of its reactionary character, is prioritizing the functioning of EU parties that safeguard the further strengthening of the Commission and its multi-tentacled mechanisms.

There have been attacks against the KKE and attempts to distort and conceal its positions by GUE/NGL.

“Common Positions” are being advanced on serious issues that are related to the policies of the EU and the international developments, despite the disagreements expressed by the EU parliamentary group of the KKE, whose positions in several cases have been concealed by GUE/NGL.

There have been ongoing attempts for the cooperation of GUE/NGL with the political groups of the Socialists and Greens in order to form an alleged “left bloc”, something that is also demonstrated by the statements of the ELP’s candidate for the presidency of the Commission, A. Tsipras. Joint motions have also been signed in the EU parliament regarding very serious issues, sometimes even with the participation of the European People’s Party and the Liberals (e.g Joint Motion for a resolution on political agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020).

Forces from the GUE/NGL, like the German Die Linke party, participate in the EU’s anti-communist campaign, in the falsification of historical truth, the anti-historical equation of communism with fascism, the slandering of socialist construction and the gains of the working class.

4. The EU parliamentary group of the KKE throughout this entire period opposed these dangerous choices. It fought against the unacceptable stance of parties and MEPs that participate in GUE/NGL and supported the war inLibya, the EU’s intervention in theCentral African Republic, in the internal affairs ofSyriaor its campaign of underminingCuba, that did not condemn the EU’s intervention inUkraine. It fought against the ELP’s position that there can be a pro-people management of the crisis, while the monopolies remain in power. It came into conflict with positions that prettify the imperialist character of the EU and claim that this union of the monopolies can become a union in favour of the peoples. However, despite the efforts of the KKE, GUE/NGL is being used as a tool of the ELP. All these things resulted in the creation of a completely negative situation and new conditions that objectively impede the continuation of our participation in GUE/NGL. The participation of the KKE in a group, where these forces dominate, would become an obstacle to the ideological, political and organizational independence of the party in the EU parliament, to the promotion of the strategy in favour of the working class and the popular strata in our country and Europe, to the regroupment of the communist movement inEurope. At the same time, the continuation of the KKE’s participation in GUE/NGL would be used as a “left-wing alibi” for the imposition of the opportunist and social-democratic political line of parties that act in favour of the EU and accept capitalist barbarity.

5. The non-accession of the KKE’s MEPS to a specific existing political group, as well as the suffocating operating framework of the EU parliament can not impede the intervention of the KKE. The MEPs of the KKE will continue, without any restricting commitments, the struggle for the interests and rights of the working class and popular strata, in opposition to the EU and its policies, struggling against capitalist barbarity and safeguarding the right to the independent, more effective ideological-political activity of the KKE. They will continue to expose the character of the EU, as well as the damaging role of the parties that are rallied in the ELP, parties that have abandoned the struggle against the EU and the overthrow of capital’s power in their countries in general. These forces, with the policy of prettifying the EU, with their pro-monopoly stance in the movement, with their participation in anti-people governments (Italy, France, local government in Germany and Spain) not only did not contribute in the slightest to the promotion of the people’s interests, but led the labour-people’s movement in their countries to assimilation and retreat.

6. The KKE will continue tirelessly the efforts for the regroupment of the communist movement, the development of bilateral relations with the communist parties that are represented in the EU parliament, with dozens of communist parties inEuropeand all over the world. It will have an active participation in the International and Regional meetings and will strengthen its work in the framework of the INITIATIVE of the 29 communist and workers’ parties in Europe, against the European Union, its parties and policies, for the development of joint activity for the interests of the peoples.